A Meta-model for Water Quantity and Water Quality

The management of water resources requires simulation models for different time horizons and spatial scales as well as different types of information systems as GIS or Water Information Systems. Mathematical models integrate former experiences and theoretical knowledge about a system with actual information gained by natural processes and man-induced activities. Because of the great variety and complexity of processes considered for water management and their natural or anthropogenic origins different structural dynamic models have to be combined. The questions that must be answered for water management options are how much water is available, for what purposes it will be used, who are the actors and stakeholders, and what kind of consequences follow from distinguished management options for the public, agriculture and industry, and what kind of environmental (or ecological) responses result from anthropogenic activities. For this reason, and to make different subsystems comparable, a Meta-Model is used. In the paper, an overview is given on the methodology how to construct a water quantity and quality meta-model as a tool to manage water systems, and as a base for decision making.